Ireland facing 'dangerous' climate changes

Significant climate change impacts are expected to occur in Ireland over the coming decades even if the EU target, of limiting global climate change to EU 2° Celsius, is met. Planning and adaptation actions are needed to reduce the worst effects of unavoidable climate change in the coming decades.

The report predicts that a global temperature rise of up to 2° Celsius would result in negative changes include the following:

· Increased likelihood and magnitude of river and coastal flooding;
· Water shortages in summer in the east, increased need for irrigation of crops;
· Negative impacts on water quality;
· Changes in the distribution of species, and possible extinction of vulnerable species requiring cooler conditions, e.g., the Arctic Char;
· Effects on fisheries, which are sensitive to small changes in temperature, e.g., Cod;
· Increased frequency of wild fires and pest infestation.

Impacts in Ireland would include significant sea level rise, more intense storms and rainfall events. The report was prepared as part of the programme of the EPA’s Environmental Research Centre by the Irish Climate Analysis and Research Units from the Department of Geography, National University of Ireland, Maynooth. It is the first study to directly address the implications for Ireland of a 2° Celsius increase in mean global temperatures.

The research project highlights major changes that occurred in Ireland about 8000 years ago when a relatively sudden influx of fresh water from northern Canada is considered to have temporarily switched of the Gulf Stream flow. This resulted in an abrupt and widespread cooling event in and around Ireland.

Dr John Sweeney of National University of Ireland, Maynooth, one of the authors of the Report stated that, “This shows what could happen if the Greenland Ice shelf melts. Long-term impacts of global warming could include collapse of major ice shelves and resulting devastating effect on Ireland. Time is rapidly running out for achievement of the 2° Celsius target and so avoiding the most dangerous impacts of climate change.”

Copies of Implications of the EU Climate Protection Target for Ireland are available at http://www.epa.ie/NewsCentre/ReportsPublications/ClimateChange/FileUpload,1956,en.pdf

References:
http://www.epa.ie/NewsCentre/PressReleases/MainBody,13679,en.html
http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0315/climate.html?rss